Curious anecdotes and musings on what makes us 'us'

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Filed under conservation …

In the gloom that has descended since last Saturday, here’s a ray of hope for us all. This is an article from last Sunday’s Observer, written by Mark Ruffalo and Rahwa Ghirmatzion Donald Trump’s decision to pull the US out of the historic Paris climate agreement and turn his back on the other 194 nations … Continue reading →

This is from the i paper Sir Ian Botham is hoping to hit food poverty for a 6 by donating pheasants and partridges from his shooting estates to those most in need. The former England cricket captain will team up with wealthy land-owners and shooting enthusiasts to provide 500,000 free meals each year by donating … Continue reading →

This the first round market house I’ve found with a second storey, which makes it rather special. It has been used as a prison, court house and of course for markets. It is at a busy intersection so you risk limb though probably not life in visiting it. I am told it sometimes causes accidents … Continue reading →

I love obscure bits of history, and parish boundary markers are great because you really have to poke around with your eyes open to spot them. They were used to mark the parish boundaries of mediaeval cities, to establish who had to pay church rates, who attended churches, and as legal documents in property sales. … Continue reading →

St Kilda is one of the most isolated places in the British Isles, an archipelago in the Outer Hebrides whose final human inhabitants left in 1930. It is now home to 600,000 nesting birds each year. This is from the i paper of 29 December: A 250-year-old census has revealed that islanders on St Kilda… … Continue reading →

This is from Wednesday’s i paper and is a fantastic example of the value of so-called amateurs, and how much can be achieved by local communities. It was a medieval mystery that baffled experts for decades. Now a history fan has finally unearthed the priceless remains of a lost city- thanks to a colony of … Continue reading →

One of the major consequences of modern technology has been the problems adapting old buildings to accommodate the extra wiring, and changes of use in office space etc. In the former wool town of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, they have converted the wonderful Victorian former town hall to a community art space and I was granted a … Continue reading →

This is from the i paper, showing Orcas deserve their reputation as killers and the threats to endangered species are not entirely from humans: For the first time, killer whales have been spotted killing and eating a rare species of whale. A team of researchers led by Rebecca Wellard, of Curtin University, has been joining … Continue reading →

My favourite animal has long been the 2 toed sloth, with a top speed when chased by a predator of 0.5mph. You don’t get more laid back than that, but if they are so inefficient, how have they managed to survive? This article from the i a few weeks back, by Becky Cliffe provides some … Continue reading →

This 3 day event linked the Cathedral’s wonderful Glass Exhibition with the annual Doors Open Day, so a brilliant combination. Arrayed outside the cathedral were a number of potters, wood and stone carvers, weavers and others. One woman combined making and teaching felt animals with repairing cane seats on chairs. An impressive mixture. I was … Continue reading →